I dry heave heaps when I'm drunk and I actually don't mind it (though it's never much fun the morning after) and it happened in 2009 for the first time - sober - and I found it to be VERY scary. I was so worried why my body was trying to vomit and then I was worried that I couldn't vomit (stomach was completely empty) and yeah, it hurts. But I'd still have to say actual vomiting would be worse :-/